Unravel a Crime - Tangle With Women (34 page)

“
This fucking case is a
godsend. It’s not every day that a lawyer gets the chance to work on a paper rich
fraud case like this. If it goes to a Jury it’ll take a couple of months –
possibly more to run. That my boy, is good honest filthy lucre, win or lose. If
we make a submission before the Judge it’ll take 2 or 3 days at the most.
That’s peanuts.”

Brakespeare had to think hard
to be sure that he was hearing Breezie correctly. Was the man really more
interested in his fees than Newberry’s best interests? He decided to test
Breezie.

“
If we were to let it go to
trial, what do you think the chances of success are.”

“
Bloody good from what I’ve
seen.”

“
So they’ll be equally bloody
good if we make a submission.”

“
That’s not the point.”

“
I’ve gathered that. Is that
why you didn’t want Newberry here, so that you could have this private
conversation with him well out of earshot.”

Breezie smiled an inebriated
oily smile.

“
Bang on, old bean, bang on.”

“
And what you’re asking me to
do is to advise Newberry that we have to let the case run to trial?”

“
And we’ll all make a damn
sight more out of it than we stand to do now. Win the case and the taxpayer
will pay our fees.”

Brakespeare hesitated as a
thought came into his head.

“
What would Gordon have done?”

Breezie shrugged and pointed
to the floor. “Gordon’s not here, he’s down there.”

“
He wouldn’t have agreed,
would he?”

Breezie didn’t answer, but
refilled his glass.”

“
Don’t know, never asked him.”
He looked up at Brakespeare almost impertinently.

“
Never dared ask him, more
likely.”

Breezie slumped in his chair.
The Cava seemed to be taking hold of him now.

“
I feel tired.”

“
And I’m tired of you”, said
Brakespeare. “So fucking tired, I’m giving you the push. You’re out of this
case.” He shot out of his chair and went round to Breezie. Grapping his shirt
front he pulled him up in his chair and shook him. “You’re fucking fired, you
understand. Fired.”

A wild look came over
Breezie’s face; his jaw opened, but only the sound of escaping air came from
his mouth. Brakespeare let go his hold, and Breezie fell back. Brakespeare
stated at him with contempt and picking up the nearly empty bottle of Cava,
poured it over Breezie’s head. The barrister closed his eyes and fell
unconscious.

“
Now I’ve burnt my bridges.”
Brakespeare thought as he marched out of the room, but he knew what he had to
do.

Whatever the look on his face,
it killed the conversation as he re-entered the dining room.

“
Where’s Philip?” asked
Annette chirpily. She had been talking to a dowdy looking lady of her own age
who looked at Brakespeare as if she knew him, but said nothing.

“
Having a sleep.”

“
Oh dear”, she tittered “He’s
having too good a funeral”, and laughed at her own joke.

“
I’m afraid I have to go.”
Brakespeare was cold politeness as he walked over to where Annette was
standing. “Thank you so much for inviting me, I hope that we’ll meet again
soon.”

“
So do I” replied Annette, and
then “don’t forget Lisa.”

She looked pointedly at him as
she said it. Brakespeare turned to where Lisa had been engaged in animated
conversation with Margaret, glass in her hand. As she caught his eye a worried
look spread across her face.

“
I’m going to see David”,
Brakespeare announced. Lisa took her cue.

“
Then I’d better come with
you. Excuse me” she said to the gathering at large, and then went over to Annette
and air kissed her.

Annette smiled a knowing smile
and put her head on one side. “Thank you for coming. I know Gordon would have
wanted it.”

“
Er, everything Okay, Jonny?”
Mortimer with Ridley in tow sidled up to him.

“
No, not really,” replied
Brakespeare with a false smile. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“
Why are we going to see
David?” Lisa asked as soon as they were in the Fiat.

“
Because I’ve just sacked his
brief” Brakespeare replied.

“
You did what?” Lisa turned in
her seat and stared at him.

“
I think you heard.”

He then explained. Lisa was
silent.

“
So did I do the right thing?”
asked Brakespeare.

“
I don’t think that you did
enough. You should have smashed the bottle over his head. I knew he didn’t like
me. Not sure why. It’s not just because Annette is his sister. Did you see his
wife?”

Brakespeare thought. “Funnily
enough, I didn’t. At least no-one was introduced as his wife.”

“
There isn’t one.”

“
What?”

“
He lives all alone in that
big house – except when he’s entertaining. Mainly young men.”

“
You mean he bats for the
other side?”

“
That’s one way of putting it.
You see, I always thought that he had a crush on Gordon himself. In fact I
asked Gordon about it once,” she laughed. “he got quite prickly about it ,and
told me not to be so imaginative.”

“
What you mean that Breezie
saw you as a competitor for Gordon’s affections!”

They both burst out laughing.

“
This place gets weirder and
weirder.” said Brakespeare.

The conversation died down as
Brakespeare tried to navigate his way to Malvern. Shuthonger appeared to be as
difficult to escape from as to find until Brakespeare eventually realised that
the village was on the A38, and he headed north to Worcester.

“
I’m not a tart, am I.” asked
Lisa.

Brakespeare quickly lanced
across at her. “Without trying to be funny, I don’t think that that’s for me to
answer. I don’t know anything much about your personal life.”

“
Gordon was only the third man
I’ve ever made love to.”

Brakespeare noticed how she
referred to making love.

“
Well that’s not being a tart
in this day and age. One was the chap who got you pregnant. Who was the other.”

“
Oh, that was the boy next
door in my last year in the sixth form. That was just sex to find out how it
all worked.”

“
Hmmmm” said Brakespeare,
unsure where the conversation might be leading.

“
I loved two of them.”

“
Not bad.”

“
No it isn’t ,is it.” and she
started to cry.

“
Now what?”

“
People think I’m sleeping
with you. Couldn’t you see them at the reception. Did you hear what Annette
said. I did.”

“
What?”

“
Don’t forget Lisa.”

She turned her wet face
towards him. “They think I’m a tart.”

Brakespeare could feel the
emotional net being cast. “Come off it. I told her that I was going to see
Newberry. She must know that you’re working with me. I don’t think she meant it
…like that.”

“
She did.”

“
Look if I had a young bloke
working with me, and we went about together on the case, would that mean I was
gay and having a relationship with him?”

“
Possibly.”

“
Oh you’re just depressed, and
understandably so. Remember the magic words. Minge Lane.”

Lisa pealed with laughter.
“Sorry, you’re right. I was just feeling sorry for myself. I’m glad you got rid
of Breezie though.”

“
So am I. It means I can – we
can run the case our way.”

“
What if Bill Mortimer doesn’t
agree.”

“
Then they’ll just have to
find a new solicitor.”

“
And his assistant.” Lisa said
determinedly.

“
Good. That’s settled then.
The Minge Lane Partnership?” Brakespeare looked enquiringly at her.

“
The Minge Lane Partnership.”
replied Lisa, laughing.

“
We’re on our way to see our
first client.”

Brakespeare drew the Fiat up
outside the house in Worcester Road, Malvern.

“
Oooh is this where he lives?”
asked Lisa. “It’s like a big dolls house.”

“
Hadn’t thought of that.”
Brakespeare replied, looking up at the gabled roof of the house. “But you’re
right.”

They made their way down the
front path. Brakespeare had not previously noticed that it was on a bridge over
the sunken garden below. He rang at the door bell, and they waited in anticipation.
Lisa was excited and giggly. It was the alcohol. “Hope he’s in after all this.”

There was no immediate answer,
and so Brakespeare rang again. After a pause he could hear footsteps coming
down a staircase.

“
Oh, dear”, said Lisa
convulsing. ”I think that we may have come at the wrong time. He’s been having
a siesta.”

The door opened and Newberry
looked at them in total surprise. He had nothing on his feet, and was tie-less
with his shirt collar unbuttoned.

“
Yes?” was all he managed to
ask.

“
Er, have we come at an
inconvenient moment?” asked Brakespeare, feeling that he was stating the
obvious.

Newberry hesitated. “No. Come
in, come through.” He led them through to the lounge at the back. “Please sit
down. I’ll be with you in a second. I was just..” but he did not finish the
sentence, and hurried quickly up the stairs.

“
Well seeing that when I last
spoke to him it was not on exactly amicable terms he seems rather subdued.”
observed Brakespeare.

“
Seeing he wasn’t invited to
the funeral.”

“
Told to stay away.”

They looked at each other,
both with raised eyebrows.

“
Is he talking to someone?”
asked Lisa as the sound of a murmured conversation came from above them. “It
must be his wife.”

Brakespeare didn’t have time
to answer, as the sound of footsteps once more came down the stairs towards
them.

“
Sorry about that. I wasn’t
expecting you. Why this call?” Newberry looked quizzical, and too surprised to
be aggressive.

“
We thought that we should
come and see you. I’m sorry about last time we spoke.”

“
My fault, I should have been
more sensitive. But, well you know…” he opened his palms and gestured.

“
I know. Tell me why weren’t
you at the funeral?”

Newberry looked at him.
“Advised to stay away.” he said simply.

“
Breezie?”

“
Breezie, Annette’s brother?
No, Bill Mortimer.”

“
Mortimer!” exclaimed Lisa.

“
He told you to stay away?”
asked Brakespeare.

“
Advised. Felt that with you
there, Breezie and himself. It would look a bit… and other things” He shrugged
his shoulders.

“
Do you mind?”

“
I’m fed up with minding. Of
course I mind. Gordon was my friend, but, well my life’s out of my hands really
isn’t it.”

Brakespeare looked at Lisa,
inviting her to speak.

“
That’s why we’ve come.
Something’s happened in the case.” she said

“
When?”

“
This afternoon; in fact at
the reception.”

Newberry looked totally lost.

“
I think I’d better explain”,
said Brakespeare, and went through his conversation with Breezie.

“
Is that why they didn’t want
me at the funeral?” asked Newberry.

“
Well it might have been
Breezie’s reason. Not sure about Mortimer’s.”

“
Perhaps he thought having
both me and my wife there would be an embarrassment.”

“
Your wife was there?” Both
Lisa and Brakespeare chorused in surprise.

“
Yes, didn’t she introduce
herself? Well to you at least Jonny.” he said with an apologetic look at Lisa.

Brakespeare shook his head.
“They all kept quiet about that.”

“
This is weird.” said Lisa.

“
I think Breezie wanted to get
you on your own, to say what he wanted to say. I’m not sorry that you did what
you did, but where does that leave us.”

“
With Lisa and me.”

Newberry inclined his head
questioningly.

“
Whatever happens, Jonny and I
are prepared to stick with your case and see it through.” Said Lisa.

“
Jonny and you?”

“
Sure, we’re a partnership.”
Lisa could not help but give a quick snort of laughter at what she had said.

“
I see.” Said Newberry slowly.
Brakespeare realised he was probably reading more into Lisa’s statement than he
was meant to.